10 stunning photos of Varanasi as seen from a boat on the Ganga
A tiny lamp floats past our boat on the waters of the Ganga, like a fallen star carrying a wish. Amidst the darkness that engulfs it, the lamp bobs away along the calm waters of a river as old as time. Probably just as old is the city of Varanasi that’s stood along the banks of the Ganga, its ghats welcoming faithful from all over the world. Some, seeking solace, others, praying for the ones departed. It is an overwhelming scene – people waking up at the crack of dawn ready to welcome the sun as they pay respects to the life-giving river, while others, just a few kilometres away, heads tonsured watch their loved ones being cremated on the banks – witnessing the circle of life and death play out day after day for millennia.
Varanasi, said to date back to 6 BC and known to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, holds a special place in Hinduism due to the belief that it’s where Shiva chooses to stay while on earth. It is also one of the 12 jyotirlinga shrines in India – places that were said to be touched by the celestial pillar of light that chased away the cosmic darkness from earth. Its famed ghats, by comparison to the city’s existence, are fairly new – just about three hundred years old. But it’s here that the entire city descends, to celebrate, to mourn and to ruminate.
No words can come close to describing the feeling as you emerge from the narrow lanes of settlements line the banks and, for the first time, lay your eyes on the expanse of the river. And, as you take a boat ride, you look at this city anew from a fresh perspective. It’s easy to imagine how life must’ve been all those centuries ago as the river flows on, peacefully, carrying the hopes and dreams of the people that live along its banks.
